Moving to a new town can be one of the biggest challenges you face in your life, and for Jade Hawkins, that was true.

After moving to Jonesboro, Arkansas, she knew no one. So, she went to one of the only places she knew she’d be comfortable, the church. What she didn’t know was that her life would change with that decision.

“Our now group leader, Erica Garner, and her husband came and approached me, and she immediately started talking to me and asked me to go to lunch with her. And they asked us to come stop by their (life) group,” Hawkins said.

After attending the Garner Life Group, Hawkins said she immediately felt the connection that small groups are notorious for.

Small groups offer a comfortable setting to share struggles and victories, and while Hawkins was nervous going in, she was quickly made to feel that comfort.

“Even though I didn’t know anybody and was a little trepidatious going in at first, she was very helpful in helping introduce me, and just started forming the connections based off of the things that she had learned about me, and I was so grateful for that,” she said.

Many people go through similar experiences in their lives, whether it’s at a church group, a new job, or just meeting people randomly. Being “chosen” can feel overwhelming, as Hawkins mentions her anxiety, but she quickly realized she wasn’t going at it alone.

“Just having someone that can make that connection for me instead of me feeling like I had to carry the burden of finding new people here all by myself made all of the difference,” she said.

Group identification can increase our satisfaction with life, according to Springer Nature. That can improve not only our mental health, but also our overall well-being.

Many times, we go through life thinking we’re alone, but all it takes is one person to remind us that we are worthy, and Hawkins is glad she doesn’t have to live life alone.